Between Ruin And Revenge: Her Regret

Brigg

winter wind died the second I stepped past the velvet curtain. I stood in the foyer, look

ke box. I held it against my chest like a fragile organ, making sur

y path. The man looked at my cheap wet boot

s only

fumbling for a second, and pulled out the sleek black credi

e disdain vanished, replaced by a practiced, hollow

bed the sound of my wet boots. A sharp burst of jazz music drifted from the main lounge, making the dull ache in my temple

ces flushed with expensive liquor. I pressed my back against the silk-li

letting the air fill my tired lungs, trying to force a warm smile onto my face. Arleen had been so distant lately

y knuckles

he door was not shut. It was

glasses touching came fro

u going to keep up this

Jaquez Ross. It was lo

w vacuum in my chest. I held my breath and shifted my weight, leaning close

lip dress that clung to her body. She did not look confused. She did no

at her feet. He leaned forward and pr

to the stomach. My pupils contracted

her head back and let out a soft laugh, sw

completely steady. "It gets my family off my back about the mar

leg. "And forgetting the boy

of her drink. "He is a poor boy from Queens. He has nothing else. I can do whatever I

king laugh. "He follows yo

hed with hi

ged up my throat. The taste of bile flooded my mouth. I clamped my jaw shut, my te

et away. I to

he edge of the marble border next to th

side the room s

er voice dropping to a sharp whisper

the wall outside the room. I slid into the shadow cast by

inside. Jaquez was standing up.

e cake box. I braced myself for the door to swing open, p

ice echoed from the far end of the hallway. A drunk pa

inside the V

nd of his footsteps retreated. The leather sofa groaned

isis p

st five minutes ago was gone. In its place was a freezing, dead sile

holding the velvet cake box. It was a

a slow, self-deprecating smile. I did no

ng corridor, my legs moving with stiff, mechanical precision. I passed

t into the freezi

ed straight past the awning and into the downpour. The cold water

rash can. I looked at the cake box one last time. I opened my hands an

ulled out my phone. I wiped the rainwater off the screen with my thumb. I opened the

e legal name

at the results as th